The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-02-06
FIFTY LIVES SACRIFICED.
DOWN THROUGHA RAILROAD BRIDGE
AND THEN 4 HOLOCAUST


vtAssociated Press Dispatches to the NEWS
CoNcosD, N. H., Feb. 5.-The express
train that left Boston at seven o'clock last
night met with terri bic accident near
road, at about 80 this morning. The
train started from this city on time, but
was detained at White River Junction
When about two hundred yards south of
the end of the old deck bridge near the old
Windsor Station, broken rail was struck.
The locomotive, baggage car, and postal
car broke away from the rest of the train,
passing over the bridge in safety. Two
passenger cars with the Boston sleeper
Pilgrim, and the Springfield sleeper st.
Adams were derailed, but when they reach
ed the end of the bridge, they went over
the abutments and all of the cars fell into
the White River, some fifty feet below.
The gorge at this point is frightful, and
when the cars went down there was ter
tible crash. As soon as possible the de-
tached part of the train was stopped and
run back to the scene of the disaster.
The screams of the injured were heart
rending Assistance also came from people
living in the vicinity, and everything was
done to rescue and relieve the injured.
Soon after help arrived it was discovered
that fire HAD started in tho first passenger
coach, and soon the entire train was
abaze. thus adding new horror to the
catastrophe Those present were power
less to stop the fire and devoted them
selves entirely to attempting to rescue
those Imprisoned in the wreck. The res
cuers met another and unexpected obsta-
Gle in the heat, which had become SO in
that hou oh1imoA 10 ralip Or1ic oh
their efforts to save the sufferers and were
compelled to retreat to place of safety.
To add to tie terrors and sufferings of the
passengers, the weather was intensely cold
and no water could be obtained with which
TO check or extinguish the flames. The
ice was severed inches thick OF the river,
and there were no appliances at hand to
raise it.
Ira A. Chase, of Bristol, was at White
River Junction when the news OF the dis
aster was received. He went to the wreck
on special train. His story of the acct
dent is as follows: "The train left White
River Junction late, and the accident is
thought to have occurred at about 2. 5 a. m.
A broken raj was discovered some 200 feet
this side of the bridge, but whether this
caused the accident or wheel fange broke
is in doubt. The locomotive and baggage
and mail cars crossed the bridge in safety.
Two passenger coaches, the Boston sleep
ing car Pilgrim and the Springfield
sleeper St. Adams went off the bridge at
the end on the iight-hand side, and appa-
rently turned bottom side up in the fall.
Men living near by stated that when they
got to the scene there was no fire except
in the forward passenger car, but flames
soon spread to the other Cars and then to
the bridge. ALI were consumed"
Twenty-six persons, so far as known,
were taken ont alive from the cars which
were burned Two of these are understood
to he Mr.. Wesson, pistol manufacturer of
Springfield, and Edward Brocklebanks, a
brakeman, but they died soon after. The
two passenger coaches were well filed and
every berth in the Boston sleeping car was
occupied and twelve in the one from
Springfield, making the total number of
passengers in the wrecked cars about
eighty. This will probably make the num-
Der Of dead between fifty and sixty.
A special train with ten physicians on
board reachad the scene of tue wreck two
hours after ii had happened. They went
to work at once A wreeker also arrived.
Manysbodes were taken out OF the burned
cars Al one Tins the charred remains OF
twenty SIX persons lay on the ice. Tney
are not recognizable. Severai persons were
Doubt, IS cremated TO ashes. A full list OF
the dead cannot be known yet. About
forty escaped from the blazing ears. One
passenger who had his clothing torn en-
tirely IRON his back says that lady who
also escaped from the same car was almost
nude when she was drawn out. A Bos-
ton gentleman who was with friend in
dhe Of the sleepers managed to get GU,
bat friend who Was wedged in the de
bris Was burned To death bsfore his eyes.
Among those who are known to have
been killed are Edward Bangs, brake
man, f. l. Wesson of Springfield, 5. y.
SWestcott of Burlington, Cephas Mills OF
Ontario, and e. F. Dillon of Dartmouth
College. The Associated Press agent fur
nshes the names of twenty dangerously
injured persons. Among them is Conduc
tor Sturtevant, who cannot live. The
names of five women are on the list. The
wounded are partly burned and partly
crushed
G. f. Merrill of New York, whose father
is said to be on the s'World,' Charles w
Hail Boston drummer, and George Bell
yorny Erenchman from Bellows lis, Yer
$neat are among the missing. you g
Mont. al rrapper who was on the Train Was
saved. but his lady companion was burned
while he was trying to haul her from the
ruins. Henry w. Tewkesbury, who was
killed was Manchester police justice.
Among the bodies that were taken from
the wreck was that of a man with a child
in his arms Edward F Dillon, one of the
killed, was a member of the Dartmouth
Sophomore class, and pitcher for the Uni
versity nine. Henry Tuxbury, another of
the killed. was a well-known lecturer.
The midnight report states that up to last
accounts SO bodies had been takes from the
wreck. Only five are in any manner recog-
nizable.
Lie That Scared Lawsoa.
"Did you see that story in one of the
morning journals of to-day, asked Clerk
Rotert Kerin at Taylor's Hotel of a News
man las1 night. about the defauIting ex-